Chapter 40 - 28: Taking Jing Qi Out (Part 2)
Jie Jingchen’s tone was lazy and languid as he asked teasingly, "Second Auntie, take a look. Is that her?"
Second Auntie looked over. Whoa! Goodness gracious, what a pretty girl. She took a closer look—wasn’t that the same disheveled girl from this morning?
’This isn’t a caregiver Doctor Qiao found; this is a daughter-in-law by the looks of it.’
"Wifey, come say hello to Second Auntie," Jie Jingchen said, beckoning to Qin Mei.
"She’s your wife?" Second Auntie felt like she’d been struck by lightning. ’Thank god I didn’t say anything careless,’ she thought, recalling her morning chat about Teacher Lin. If she had painted Jing Si and Teacher Lin as a pair of star-crossed lovers, she’d be too ashamed to face his wife right now.
Qin Mei’s face lit up in a smile, her voice sweet. "Second Auntie."
"Heh heh," Second Auntie chuckled, feeling extremely awkward. Well, if Qin Mei wasn’t going to be the awkward one, then she had to be.
"What groceries did you buy, Second Auntie?" Qin Mei asked.
’She’s still asking about my groceries? Can’t she see I’m so embarrassed I wish the ground would swallow me whole?’
"I’ve got something on the stove, can’t chat!" Second Auntie tossed out the line and fled, no longer caring how they were going to deal with Jing Qi.
"What’s with Second Auntie?" Even Jie Jingshan could tell something was off.
"Are you close with Second Auntie?" Jie Jingchen asked, crossing his arms. His expression was unreadable.
Meeting his probing gaze, Qin Mei’s heart suddenly lurched. ’What am I panicking for? It’s not like I’ve done anything wrong.’
"Not really. We just ran into each other this morning and chatted for a bit." Qin Mei had no intention of telling him the whole truth; she still hadn’t figured out where Jie Jingchen stood regarding Teacher Lin.
"What about?" Jie Jingchen’s eyes were dark and bottomless as he asked.
’What about? About you and Teacher Lin, obviously.’ Qin Mei rolled her eyes. "Nothing, really. We’re not close, so what would we even talk about?"
"How did you introduce yourself to Second Auntie?" Jie Jingchen pressed.
"I didn’t. I just told her my name was Qin Mei. She’s the one who misunderstood," Qin Mei answered.
"If she misunderstood, why didn’t you clear it up?" Jie Jingchen wasn’t about to let her off the hook so easily.
"It wasn’t necessary. We’re not close." ’Besides,’ she thought, ’if I’d claimed to be Jie Jingchen’s wife back then, with Teacher Lin’s mother in such a rage, she would’ve skinned me alive.’
Jie Jingchen stared at her, a scrutinizing light glinting in his amber eyes. "Qin Mei..."
"Alright, that’s enough. Are you ever going to drop it? If we waste any more time, the herbal pharmacy will be closed," Qin Mei cut him off, pushing Jie Jingshan’s wheelchair forward.
Jie Jingchen took them to catch a bus. It was crowded. Jie Jingshan sat in her wheelchair with Qin Mei standing beside her. Jie Jingchen stood behind Qin Mei, protecting her. The crowded space felt suffocating, and she kept her head down, not having the courage to face the strange looks until they got off the bus.
Seeing Qin Mei’s pale face, Jie Jingchen’s amber eyes filled with a trace of worry. "Are you okay?" he asked with concern.
Squatting by the side of the road, Qin Mei didn’t say a word. Her stomach churned; she felt the urge to throw up, but nothing would come out.
’I don’t get carsick in a private car, but I always get sick on the bus.’
’Good thing the ride wasn’t too long. Otherwise, I really might have thrown up on the bus.’
Jie Jingshan’s clear eyes also filled with worry. "What’s wrong with my sister-in-law?" she asked.
Qin Mei was suffering from motion sickness, while the trip had tested the self-conscious Jie Jingshan’s mental fortitude.
"She gets motion sickness," Jie Jingchen said, looking at Jie Jingshan with a pleased expression. Her behavior on the bus had exceeded his expectations.
Many people on the bus had given her strange looks, but she hadn’t lashed out in anger or self-pity, nor had she lost control and done something to hurt herself or others.
"Sister-in-law..." Jie Jingshan knew how to be grateful. She felt both guilty and moved, knowing Qin Mei was going through this for her sake.
She had eaten too much for breakfast. In the end, Qin Mei couldn’t hold it back any longer and squatted by the side of the road, vomiting violently.
"GACK."
"Sister-in-law!" Jie Jingshan cried out, on the verge of tears from worry.
"I’m f— GACK..."
Jie Jingchen stood behind Qin Mei, gently patting her back with his large hand. His deep eyes were filled with worry, and he was filled with regret. ’I shouldn’t have made them take the bus. I should have gone to the factory to get Dad’s car.’
Qin Mei only started to feel better after she had emptied the contents of her stomach.
"Here. Rinse your mouth," Jie Jingchen said, handing his military-style canteen to Qin Mei.
Qin Mei froze for a second. The canteen was Jie Jingchen’s; she hadn’t brought one of her own. ’An indirect kiss.’ The thought surfaced in her mind.
The sour, foul taste in her mouth was unbearable. After only a moment’s hesitation, Qin Mei took the canteen, tilted her head back, took a sip, and rinsed her mouth.
"Thanks." Qin Mei handed the canteen back to Jie Jingchen, a blush coloring her fair cheeks.